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meeting of the Young People's Club。 I hastily indorsed this resolution；
for I had a vague sort of feeling that it would please Gwen。
The 〃Antony and Cleopatra〃 night at length arrived。 We all attended
the meeting and listened to a very able paper upon the play。 One of the
most marked traits of Gwen's character is that whatever she does she does
thoroughly； and this was fully exemplified on the night in question。
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Maitland was very much impressed by some verse Gwen had written for
the occasion； and a copy of which he succeeded in procuring from her。 I
think； from certain remarks he made； that it was the broad and somewhat
unfeminine charity expressed in the verse which most astonished and
attracted him； but of this； after what I have said； you will； when you have
perused it； be as good a judge as I：
CLEOPATRA
In Egypt； where the lotus sips the watersOf ever…fruitful Nile；
and the huge SphinxIn awful silence； … mystic converse withThe stars； …
doth see the pale moon hang her crescent onThe pyramid's sharp peak； …
e'en there； well inThe straits of Time's perspective；Went out； by Caesarean
gusts from Rome；The low…burned candle of the Ptolemies：Went out
without a flicker in full glareOf noon…day glory。 When her flame lacked
oilToo proud was Egypt's queen to beThe snuff of Roman spirits； so she
said；〃Good…night；〃 and closed the book of life half readAnd little
understood； perchance misreadThe greater part； … yet； who shall say？ Are
weAn ermined bench to call her culprit failings upAnd make them plead
for mercy？ Or can we；Upon whom soon shall fall the awful shadow
ofThe Judgment Seat； stand in her light and throwOurselves that shadow？
Rather let fall uponHer memory the softening gauze of Time；As mantle of
a charity which elseWe might not serve。 She was a woman；And as a
woman loved！ What though the fierceSimoom blew ever hot within the
sailOf her desire？ What if it shifted withDirection of her breath？ Or if
the rudder ofHer will did lean as many ways as trampled straws；And own
as little worth？ She was a woman still；And queen。 They do best
understand themselvesWho trust themselves the least； as they are
wisestWho； for their safety； thank more the open seaThan pilot will。 Oh；
Egypt's self…born Isis！Ought we to fasten in thy memory the fangsOf
unalloyed distrust？ We know how littleBetter is History's page than leaf
whereat the inkIs thrown。 Nor yet should we forget how muchThe nearer
thou than we didst come toThe rough…hewn corner…stone of Time。 We
knowThy practised love enfolded Antony；And that around the heart of
Hercules'Descendant； threading through and through；Like the red rivers of
its life； in tangled meshNo circumstance could e'er unravel； thouDidst coil；
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… the dreamy； dazzling 〃Serpent ofThe Nile！〃 Thy sins stick jagged
outFrom history's page； and bleeding tearFair Judgment from thy merits。
We perchanceDo wrong thee； Isis； for that coward； History；Who binds in
death his object's jaw and thenBesmuts her name； hath crossed his focus
inAnother age； and paled his spreading figment fromOur sight。 Thou art
so far back towardThe primal autocrat whose wish； hyena…like；Was his
religion； that； appearing as thou dostOn an horizon new flushed in the
firstUncertain ray of Altruism； thou seem'stMore ghost than human。 Yet
thou lovest； loving ghost；And thy fierce parent flame thyself snuffed
outScarce later than the dark'ning of the fireThou gav'st to be eternal
vestal ofThine Antony's spirit。 Thou didst love and dieOf love； let；
therefore； no light tongue； brazenIn censure； say that nothing in thy
lifeBecame thee like the leaving it。 The clothFrom which humanity is
cut is woven ofThe warp and woof of circumstance； and allAre much alike。
We spring from out the mantle； Earth；And hide at last beneath it； in the
interimOur acts are less of us than it。 We areNo judge； then； of thy sins；
thou ending linkOf Ptolemy's chain。 Forsooth； we are too muchO'erfilled
with wondering how like to theeWe all had been； inclipt and dressed in
thineOwn age and circumstance。
The exercises of the evening concluded with the reading of the
familiar poem； beginning：
〃I am dying； Egypt； dying；Ebbs the crimson life…tide fast。〃
It was about noon the next day when Maitland called upon me。
〃See here； Doc；〃 he began at once； 〃do you believe in coincidences？〃 I
informed him that his question was not altogether easy to understand。
〃Wait a moment；〃 he said； 〃while I explain。 For at least two years prior
to my recent return from California the name 'Cleopatra' has not entered
my mind。 You were the first to mention it to me； and from you I learned
that Miss Darrow was to have charge of the 'Antony and Cleopatra' night。
That is all natural enough。 But why should I； on every morning since
you first mentioned the subject to me； awake with Antony's words upon
my lips？ Why should every book or paper I pick up contain some
reference to Cleopatra？ Why； man； if I were superstitious； it would seem
positively spookish。 I am getting to believe that I shall be confronted
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either by Cleopatra's name； or some allusion to her； every time I pick up a
book。 It's getting to be decidedly interesting。〃
〃I have had；〃 I replied； 〃similar； though less remarkable； experiences。
It is quite a common occurrence to learn of a thing； say； this morning for
the first time in one's life； and then to find； in the course of the day's
reading； three or four independent references to the same thing。 Suppose
we step into the library； and pick out a few books haphazard； just to see if
we chance upon any reference to Cleopatra。〃
To this Maitland agreed； and； entering the library； I pushed the
Morning Herald across the table to him； saying： 〃One thing's as good as
another； try that。〃 He started a little； but did not touch the paper。 〃You
will have to find something harder than that；〃 he said； pointing to the
outspread paper。
I followed the direction of his finger； and read：
〃Boston Theatre。 Special engagement of Miss Fanny Davenport。
For one week。 Beginning Monday； the 12th of December； Sardou's
'Cleopatra。'〃
I was indeed surprised； but I said nothing。 The next thing I handed
him was a copy of Godey's Magazine； several years old。 He opened it
carelessly； and in a moment read the following line： 〃I am dying；
sweetheart